Special Exhibition Splendid Swords: Masamune and the Sagami Tradition

The name "Masamune," for many, is virtually synonymous with the Japanese sword. Masamune was a bladesmith from Sagami province during the Kamakura period (1185–1333). He perfected the style known as the Sagami tradition and had a great influence on future generations. Since the Muromachi period, he and his apprentice Sadamune were regarded as the most important makers of swords for exchanging as gifts among the samurai classes. In the Edo period in particular, the value of Masamune swords became immutable, and more of his swords were listed in the Kyōhō meibutsuchō record of famous swords than any other.
This exhibition traces the history of the reception of Japanese swords through the famed blades of Masamune and the Sagami tradition that have been handed down in the Owari Tokugawa family.

Click here for basic information on swords